"You'll Never Walk Alone"

I’ve a clear memory when I first heard the song. That clarity of memory indicates how significant the song’s impact was and continues to be for me. I was in High School. An adult sponsor in our Church Youth Group sold mobile homes between Norman and Oklahoma City. On a Sunday afternoon a couple of us from the youth group drove to his mobile home. He wasn’t expecting us; nevertheless, he welcomed us into his mobile home. He was playing a new record which he wanted us to hear. That was when I heard the song. He told us the story of the song. The next day or so, I purchased my own record of the song. It is a song that I obviously carry in my memory, but also in my heart. It is a song I believe needs to be sung and heard repeatedly during any type of crisis. Each of us, and all of us, need to remember that “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

Simplicity

“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million, count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail.” Thoreau, Walden. Simplicity is one of my life’s rules. Simplicity has many implications. Some examples, I try not to multi-task. I try to do one thing and when it is finished, I move on to the next task. I try to keep a clean desk by finishing whatever paperwork is laying on my desk. Certainly, there are things that I cannot complete immediately, and they must lay on the desk for a while. However, I try not to put off tasks. There are often difficult phone calls or correspondence to write and I try to do those tasks the first thing of the day, so they aren’t laying on my desk and in my mind for the remainder of the day or week. I don’t have a lot of clothes but what I do have is very functional. I try to keep a simple, but functional, rhythm of my day. I’m learning that simplicity requires my willingness to say, “No.” Too many “Yeses” and my life seems to lose its simplicity.

Both/And

When it comes to matters of the heart, such as family, religion and politics, it seems that many folks have only one viewpoint which they believe to be the only right viewpoint. Such an attitude makes other viewpoints wrong. It is either right or wrong. The more I experience life and especially people who are or have had to deal with some of life’s difficulties, the less I think in terms of either/or. For example, on the Enneagram I typically score as a #2, the Helper. However, sometimes I act like a #6, the Loyalist; whereas other times I want to try something new like a #1, the Reformer. I’m the Director of our Counseling Center so I must also be a #3, the Achiever. I think I’m both a #2, #6, #1, #3 and all of the nine positions on the Enneagram, depending on the situation. I’m a three generation Baptist who is drawn to the liturgy of the Catholic, Episcopal and Lutheran Churches and I often worship with these liturgical churches. I value the Church freedom and Bible focus of the Baptist and, also, the liturgical structure of the other churches. I’m pretty sure that I’m both a Baptist and a liturgical worshipper. I find myself frustrated with those folks who think only in terms of either – or. I like both – and or conjunctive faith as James Fowler labeled it.

Moderation

Years ago in our Church there was a gentleman who was an efficiency expert. His job, as I understood it, was to consult with industry and organizations about the efficiency of their work. He gave me, as his Pastor, some valuable lessons about efficiency related to some of the meetings in the Church. I appreciated and learned from him. I continue to be mindful of some of the lessons he taught. However, over the years I’ve also learned that efficiency as the primary goal has a cost. Part of the cost may be a lack of time to casually and informally relate to colleagues at work. The cost could also to become a work-alcoholic. Being inefficient also has costs. Perhaps I don’t get my share of the work done and therefore I put extra work on others. Inefficiency may also be a symptom of a lack of self-discipline. For the past fifteen years or more, I’ve been a friend/Lay Cistercian at the Abbey of Gethsemani. Part of the discipline is seriously considering the Rule of St. Benedict, given that I’m not a monk but married, Protestant and lay person. The discipline is to think of St. Benedict’s Rule as I develop my personal rule or rhythm of life that is holistic and God-honoring. One of St. Benedict’s guidelines that is important to me is “Yet, all things are to be done with moderation on account of the fainthearted.” (Chapter 48, verse 9 The Rule of St. Benedict). Chapter 48 is about the working life. My desire is neither great efficiency nor a laissez-faire or ‘anything goes’ attitude. My goal is moderation.